The present invention generally relates to adverse condition detectors, such as smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors and combination units. More specifically, the present invention relates to an adverse condition detector that includes the ability to store historical information regarding the alarms generated based on the adverse condition detected and other information regarding the operation of the detector.
Currently available adverse condition detectors, such as carbon monoxide alarms for residential homes, detect a level of carbon monoxide in the area surrounding the alarm device and operate a transducer, such as an audible horn, to indicate to the home occupant that a hazardous level of carbon monoxide has been detected. Similar detectors are available for the detection of smoke and combination units are available that detect both smoke and carbon monoxide.
In the current available adverse condition detecting devices, the detecting device includes little to no capacity to record historical data as to how the detector is operating. As an example, some currently available carbon monoxide detectors display the maximum carbon monoxide concentration detected. However, the detector cannot be interrogated by field service personnel or at the manufacturing facility after a product recall to determine additional information regarding the operation of the detector. Such additional information may include the carbon monoxide buildup, the number of times the alarm was activated or reset. This information may be useful to a service technician. As an example, if a service technician was able to determine the date and time of all of the generated alarms, the technician could determine whether the alarm generating issues are periodic or alternatively that the carbon monoxide increased very slowly over time.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide an adverse condition detector that includes the ability to store historical information regarding the operation of the adverse condition detector and provide service technicians the ability to download and analyze this historical data. This data can also be used by the manufacturing company to identify any weak points in the detector design.